Bri
Striker
Hello!First post. So hello to everyone. Took retirement last year, love cricket, coming from Carlisle, and at the time, we’re thinking who do we follow, Lancashire or Durham. (Seems like sacrilege now). Trip down the M6 or the A69, Durham was the decision and the best I made. One of the best days cricket last week. Great to see the recovery today, but we always seem to be 14 for 3, 60 for 5. Why — shit batsmen, shit pitch or shit rules that mean we’re always put in.
All of the above tbh.
The no toss rule is a shit idea. No one likes it. it doesn't do what it was supposed to (even out home advantage a bit) and I heard that groundsmen are trying to prepare pitch that not only do stuff on day one but also on day 2 and 3, so that the home team can bowl on a favourable pitch in their first go at bowling too. - The result is scores overall aren't as high as they used to be. Rule should be repealed.
On the batsmen from we haven't replaced Stoneman and Borthwick - and that's the loss of around 2,500 + runs per year that's a lot!
The replacement batsmen haven't been particularly good. Ouir overseas were Cook and Markram from South Africa as well as Bancroft this year. None of these have shown that they're have adapted to local conditions. The overseas who did adapt well was NZ's Latham - but he had loads of local experience, he played local league, was asked to join the academy and played second team before returning to NZ to make his name.
Cameron Steel - he was hit on the head in a seconds game which has apparently shot his confidence. He had a great season the year before last and he was someone I thought should do well this year alongside Lees and Bancroft but it hasn't worked out that way.
Overall the batting is a tale of woe. we keep looking to the seconds hoping for a home grown to come through but none has as yet with the possible exception of Scott Steel who did really well in the Royal London.
Eckersley is a good recruit this season. He'd been let go by Leics but purely because his contract is up and they are cash strapped.
Our bowling unit is good. Rushy, Raine, Weighell are good. Potts and Carse are a bit raw but they have lots of potential. Trevaskis and Whitehead are good spinners, I like what I've seen of Whitehead.